Quantum dots are a well known phenomena and have been employed to fabricate various optoelectronic devices including semiconductor lasers, optical amplifiers, light emitting diodes, digital circuits and the like. Generally, quantum dots are formed in III-V elements. (See, e.g. text entitled “Self Assembled InGaAs/GaAs Quantum Dots” by Robert Willardson et al. and published by Academic Press (1999) ISBN-0-12-75169-0.) The text includes many examples of how quantum dots embedded in semiconductor substrates are also commercially available. For example, Evident Technologies of Troy, N.Y. sells semiconductor materials such as InP having quantum dots (see, e.g. www.evidentech.com). Devices employing quantum dots are capable of high speed operations as compared to conventional semiconductor devices.
It is known to be desirable to sense pressing, or pressure, exerted on certain structures. It is further known to be desirable to provide switches that have sharp response curves to such pressing or pressures as they traverse a desired transition pressure, such that there is a highly focused transition between switching states at the transition pressure. The present invention contemplates a quantum dot pressure device exhibiting high speed operation and selective switching in response to a sensed pressure.